GUWAHATI: Assam’s Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary called for providing gas pricing subsidy for imported gas supply, gas price subsidy to Assam Petrochemicals Limited (APL) and hiking of State Government’s share in Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL).
He flagged these issues while attending a ‘National Conclave on Emerging Opportunities in Natural Gas Sector’, organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in New Delhi on Thursday.
Minister Patowary spoke on providing 40% subsidy in the price of Natural Gas to be supplied through the North East Gas Grid project being implemented by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL) for price viability for the targeted customers. He underlined the need for providing gas price subsidy to APL in line with subsidies to Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL), Dibrugarh as both are gas-based petrochemical companies.
The Minister explained the need of hiking Assam Government shareholding in Numaligarh Refinery to 26% from present 12%. He also thanked the Centre for connecting NE Region to National Gas Grid as this will increase usage in different sectors and help the growth of industry and commerce in North East which will also create job opportunities in the region.
The national conclave was presided over by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmedra Pradhan. The objective of the conclave was to apprise and sensitize the stakeholders involved in gas value chain development including State Governments regarding initiative taken on expansion of natural gas market and its allied benefits.
The Union Minister called upon all the stakeholders to contribute in transforming India into a gas-based economy. He also stated that the present share of gas in the energy basket of the country is 6.2% and the target is increase it to 15% by 2030.
An exhibition highlighting various developments and initiatives in the gas sector organized on this occasion was inaugurated by the Union Minister on Thursday. The conclave was attended by state ministers from Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Odisha, Punjab and Uttarakhand.